A parent was arrested Tuesday after a firearm was found on the campus of Southside Estates Elementary during afternoon dismissal, according to school officials. School police confiscated the gun, escorted the parent into the building and then took the individual into custody. While officers investigated, car riders were briefly rerouted, but Principal Brown told families that at no point were students or staff in danger.
School Message: Why Officers Moved In
In a message to families, Principal Brown said the response came after reports that the same parent had a firearm during Monday’s drop-off and allegedly flashed the weapon toward other parents. As reported by Action News Jax, school police searched the parent’s vehicle on Tuesday, removed the firearm and then placed the individual under arrest.
Legal Context for Weapons on Campus
Possessing a firearm on school property is illegal under Florida law. The rules barring people from carrying or discharging weapons at school-sponsored events or on school grounds are laid out in Florida Statute 790.115. School districts also post signs and have written policies reminding visitors that weapons are not allowed on campus, a point Principal Brown reiterated in her message.
Local Context: Past Incidents at the Same School
Tuesday’s arrest is not the first weapons scare at Southside Estates. In May 2025, a substitute teacher was arrested after officers found multiple weapons, ammunition and a knife in his vehicle while he was on campus. That incident, and how the district handled it, put a spotlight on the way school police and staff respond to reports of weapons on school property, according to Action News Jax.
What Parents Need to Know
The school’s message did not list specific charges against the parent, and district officials had not released further information at the time of publication. Southside Estates Elementary, located at 9775 Ivey Rd in Jacksonville, operates within Duval County Public Schools. Federal school records list the school’s contact details, according to NCES.
